Word
glorify
Phoneticsglo·ri·fy, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɡɫɔɹəˌfaɪ/
UK/ɡlˈɔːɹɪfˌaɪ/
Definitions
01to praise or worship
B2 · Upper Intermediate Religion Formal
v. to praise or honor someone or something very highly, especially in a religious way.
v. to bestow honor, praise, or admiration upon a deity or person; to exalt to a state of glory.
“The ancient songs were written to glorify the king after his victory.”
“The cathedral was designed with soaring arches and stained glass specifically to glorify the divine through architectural grandeur.”
02to make something seem better
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to describe something bad or ordinary in a way that makes it seem exciting or noble.
v. to represent something in an admirable or idealistic way, often undeservedly; to romanticise a negative or mundane subject.
“Many people argue that action movies glorify violence and crime.”
“Critics argued that the novel's prose served to glorify a period of history that was actually defined by extreme poverty and social injustice.”
Synonyms
Usage
The verb is transitive and requires a direct object.
Etymology
From Middle English glorifien, from Anglo-Norman and Old French glorifier, from Late Latin glorificō, from Latin gloria + faciō (“to make”). Displaced native Middle English wuldrien (“to glorify”), from Old English wuldrian as well as Middle English stellifien (“to glorify, make stellar”), from Old French stellifier (Medieval Latin stellificāre); see stellify.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/glorify